Ms. Sencen?

1K SPECIAL! Malik and Alethea: Forever is Not Enough

Hey guys! So, here's your 1k bonus special thingy. It's the prompt no one asked for... it's the unexciting ship...  it's the random thing you don't want... an INSIDE LOOK AT MALETHEA!!!

Wow. So excited.

Meep.

~Anna Brooks

About 2 Years Earlier, Alternate Universe, Midnight

Alethea's POV:

You know what they say about love? That it makes you feel alive? It's not true. Love is not life, life is not love. Love is different. Love is a choice.

We are all imbued with life, which means that we all feel alive every second of every day. How can love make you feel alive if you are already living? I don't understand half of what they say about love. Love is love, and that's all that matters.

I don't get why it's such a big deal. I have never felt love for somebody other than my family. And, according to Mom's romance novels, that's not the right kind of love. That's not the kind of love that makes you feel like you are on fire, the kind of love that is forever.

If you were on fire, wouldn't you be dead? Like I said, I don't get it. 

Someday, though, I want to feel what that feels like. I want to feel alive and on fire and happy and see stars and fireworks bursting behind my eyelids. I'm a hopeless romantic, I know. But would it be so bad to want, to give in to mortal feelings, for once?

I don't know. There is so much that I don't know. I want to know everything, but I never will. To learn is like to reach out for something that you will never fully grasp. It is like holding water in the palm of your hand, trying not to let the droplets slip through your fingers and wet the sand beneath you, losing them forever, until the next wave of life comes down upon you.

When did I get so philosophical? Mother says that changes are a natural part of life, but does that make me evil for want everything to stay the same? For wanting my life to never change? Am I-

"Thea," says a voice, interrupting my thoughts. "You okay? You went really quiet for a couple minutes there."

"Malik," I sighed, glaring at him while folding my arms over my chest. What had I just been thinking about? Damn you, Malik Sencen, and your annoying voice that makes me forget everything. "I was thinking."

"Thea and her thinking," Malik teased, poking me on the nose. I frowned, poking him back. "Hey, stop it!" he argued when I poked him harder. "Thea!" 

"Never!" I giggled, poking him as hard as I could, prompting him to roll on top of me and pin my hands down. My breath hitched in my chest and my eyes grew wide, realizing what kind of a compromising position we were in. Malik seemed to realize, too, because he went quiet and moved away. 

"Ah - s-sorry, Thea," he said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. 

I smirked at his lowered gaze. "Well," I said, leisurely stretching out the word, "I don't think I'll forgive you." Malik gave me a look of horror. "I might forgive you if you do me a favor," I told him, taking pity on my best friend.

Now it was his turn to smirk. "Guess you couldn't stay away from me," he joked, causing me to shove his shoulder playfully. "C'mon, Thea, you know you can't resist this." He wiggled his eyebrows at me suggestively.

"Shuddup," I groaned, nudging his shoulder. "What'd Iole say if she caught you doing that to me?" I asked seriously, referring to his clingy girlfriend, of course.

"Nothing," he said, causing me to look at him, calling him out on his lie. "Honest, Thea," he assured me. "I broke up with her a week ago."

"And you didn't tell me?" I asked, hurt. "Why not, Malik? You know you can trust me."

"Because-" he said, spluttering for an answer. "I... um, what was the favor again?"

I glared at his obvious change of the subject, but opened my mouth and replied, "I... I want you to kiss me." I wrapped my arms around my shoulders, not looking him in the eye. Was it so bad to want to feel alive? Maybe I could find something-some sort of love- in my best friend. Was it so bad to just try?

"You what?" Malik asked, a look on his face that read horror, shock, and something else that I couldn't quite see. 

I was blushing now, my face tomato red. "Please, Mals?" I asked, using his nickname as a last resort. "You're my best friend. I want my first kiss to be with someone who I know won't laugh." It sounds stupid, I know, but it's true. I don't want it to be with some jerk who will blow me off the first chance he gets, who will laugh in my face, who will never talk to me again.

"Thea," he teased. "Didn't know you were that desperate." 

"Shut up, Malik," I grumbled. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked you, if you're just going to tease me about it. You're so annoying sometime, you know!" I folded my arms over my chest. 

Malik leaned in and cupped my cheek. "Are you sure?" he asked, his warm breath puffing over my face. I nodded, nervous at what was about to happen. He leaned in further, and his lips were on mine.

It wasn't fireworks, stars or even fire. It didn't make me feel alive. It made me feel happy. Malik made me feel happy.

So maybe this could be our forever.

Or maybe forever will not be enough.

It's pretty short, to be honest, but I hope you enjoyed it!

Yes, Alethea is a hopeless romantic, and yes, the whole kiss thing was random. I just had to have it start somewhere.

Here's to forever!

~Anna Brooks

WORD COUNT: 1037